Heavy Rain, Floods Drench California as Thousands Urged to Evacuate

A powerful band of thunderstorms over California this week has swollen rivers, downed trees and prompted many people to evacuate, with more days of heavy rain in the forecast.

Authorities urged thousands of residents in Northern California to evacuate as pounding rain threatened to overflow rivers. About 2,000 people in Wilton, a rural community near Sacramento, were asked to leave their homes Tuesday night, according to The Associated Press.

Meanwhile, some 3,000 residents in Sonoma County were under an evacuation advisory as the Russian River crested Monday at 35 feet, flooding several low-lying neighborhoods, according to ABC's San Francisco station KGO.

ABC News meteorologists say the Russian River will continue to rise Wednesday and will approach 39.8 feet in the evening at Guerneville, the largest town along the river.

ABC News meteorologists are monitoring other rivers for flooding. The Napa River was causing moderate inundation Wednesday morning but is expected to begin receding in the afternoon. Rain sent the Navarro River significantly over the flood stage Wednesday morning, but it will recede by the afternoon, ABC News meteorologists said.

Multiple school districts in Northern California were closed Wednesday because of the weather, according to ABC affiliate KXTV. Dozens of states, from California to New Jersey, were under winter weather alerts as of Wednesday morning.

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